Cultivator.



No. 733,031. PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.

G. H. GRASSING.

' GULTIVATOR. APPLICATION rum) JAN. 27,1903.

NO MODEL.

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no. team UNITED STATES lPatented July 7, 190a.

PATENT OFFICE.

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sPEoIrrcArIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,031, dated July 7,1903.

Application filed January 2'7, 1903- Serial No. 140,744. (No model.)

' the followingis a specification, reference be- .ing had totheaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to and has for its object theimprovement of thatclass of farming tools or implements known as barrows or cultivators sothat any and all roots or runners between the rows of plants in a fieldor garden are cut loose from their roots before the teeth, shares, orcolters act upon them or drag them along without injury to the plantswithin the row.

Myinvention is specially adapted to the cul-. tivation of thestrawberry-plant and cutting away of the runners or roots as they spreadfrom row to row.

Certain of my improvements consist in providing the framing or arms of aharrow or cultivator with one or more side arms or knifecarriers locatedin an advanced position ahead of the teeth, shares, or colters.

Other improvements consist in providing saidside arms with .anadjustable clamp for l carrying the root-cutting knife, whereby the rootout may be made approximately and desirably close to the plant-rows aswell as out-{ side of the line of travel of the teeth, shares,

or colters.

Other improvements consist in the special construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts, portions, or details of the apparatus,as hereinafter shown,described, or claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of theoperative arms, teeth, and cutting attachments of a frame expandingharrow or cultivator embodying my improvements. j Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5represent detail views of the side arm or knife-carrier and anadjustable slide-clamp for holding the root cutter or knife in position.

Similar letters of reference designate like parts or portions in all thefigures.

A designates the several adjustable arms of an expanding harrow orcultivator, the upper works being omitted.

B designates a central or fixed arm.

so as to secure the roots or runners.

O designates a clamp or head to which arms A and B are attached and uponwhich arms A swing for adjustment when a greater or less Width ofclearing or cultivation is desired.

D designates the positions. of the; teeth, shares, or colters asattached to the cultivatorarms A and B.

E designates a special side arm or knifecarrier securely attached to theexpanderarmsA of the harrow or cultivator. They may, however, ifdesired, be attached to the central or fixed arm B or to the head-piece0. They are preferably located ahead of the several teeth, shares, orcolters.

F designates a root cutteror knife, adjustably connected with the saidside arm by means of an adjustable or sliding clamp G. Itis preferablymade'of sickle shape to secure the greatest cutting contact; but it canbe made with a straight blade, or, like the simitar, with convex returnknife edge. As shown in the detail Figs. 3 and 4, it is provided with acollar f, a threaded stem f, and jam-nut f as a means for securing it tothe clamp G. By loosening the nutf it may be pointed in any desired ornecessary direction, when the nut is again-jammed. The lower portion orpoint of the root-cutter is preferably extended into the earth or groundbelow,

As represented the adjustable clamp G is grooved to slide along the sidearm E and is secured in the desired position by means of the setscrewsg. A special set-screwf is made use of to keep the root-cutter F fromrevolving.

Referring specially to Fig. 1, the dotted lines ct a a a show four ofthe several positions in which the arms A may be set when the cultivatoris spread outor contracted. b,

b, I), and b designate the several cutting lines of knives F. c, c 0 andc designate the positions of the arm E suitable to the several positionsof arms A, andd, d d and d designate the several positions of the centerof knife adjustment suitable to the posi tions of arms A.

In connection with the cleansing or cultivation of plants of thestrawberry class from roots 'or runners deleterious to the well-bein gof such plants and their fruits it is necessary and advisable to clip orcut away all outlying roots or runners and to maintain the v ficiency ofthe plants.

plant row so that the life of the plant may result in the production offruit rather than roots or runners. My improvements are devised toprovide for the prompt cutting, severing, or clipping of allobjectionable roots or runners and to confine the plant to its own row.The cutters or knives are made adjustable to suit the desired distancebetween as well as the desired width of the several rows, according tothe age, well-being, or ef- The line of cutting is preferably keptoutside of the lines of drag and action of the teeth, shares, orcolters, so

roots into short lengths.

What I claim as new, and desire. to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the swinging colterarms of an expanding harrow orcultivator, a knife-carrying arm attached to and projecting from saidswinging colter-arm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the swinging colterarms of an expanding harrow orcultivator, side arms attached to said swinging colterarms, and aroot-cutting knife adj ustably attached to said side arms substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the swinging colterarms of an expanding harrow orcultivator, side arms attached to each of said swinging colter arms,clamps adj ustably connected with each of said side arms, androot-cutting knives revolubly attached to said clamps, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

CARL HERMAN GRASSING.

Witnesses:

WM. H. WEIGHTMAN, HENRY J. WEHLE.

